The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-11-01
mt made no EFFORT to trace her.


When the weather had becoms
warmer and the snow had disappeared.
we began work among the pines. Hol-
der went to an adjoining town, where
his brother lived and stayed with him
few weeks, helping in mill which
his brother owned. But he soon drifted
back to M. and in June he came ID
our camp and asked for work. As he
was q skilled mechanic, hired him at
once and reinstated him in his old
place among the workmen.
His companions told me he was now
sour and morose, whereas, before his
wife had deserted him, he had general
ly been cheerful and light-hearted.
He would have nothing to say about
her to his fellows. One day in the fall
about the middle of September.
think-he notified me that he intended
stopping work the last of the month.
and expected his wages by that time in
full.
/ told him that should be sorry to
lose him, as indeed / was, for he ha6
been a faithful workman under me.
but that if he wished it / would pay
him at the time mentioned. i then
asked him where he was going, he an.
swered that he. had not yet decided
When he got ready he would start out.
he said, and 90 on until he got tired.
and then stop.
Thinking that he might have 90:
some clew as TO the whereabouts of his
wife, / took the opportunity of asking
him concerning her. He bitterly re.
piled that he knew nothing about her,
and wanted to know nothing; she had
deserted him, he said, and he wished
never to see her again.
True" he added, "my habits were
none of the best, but always provided
for her; whatever else she may say oil
me, she can't deny that. Oh, she's got
relatives that are well off down in Ken.
nebunk. She's down there. and she'll
stay down there, too, Iguess."
About this time the mill was com.
pleted. and we were now driving piles
along at the bottom of the chute on the
river bank, preparing to build quay.
or landing, where the RATS of lumber
could be made. It was the last week
in September, and / expected to have
every thing completed by the close oil
the month.
My employers had requested me by
letter to establish some sort of land
marks about our claim, especially on
the north side, as they had been in
formed that another company had been
organized, and was preparing to 60 to
work in that direction. So one morn
ing leaving one of the men working al
the landing, | took Holder, and we
went on an exploring expedition.
We carried only an axe and small
pot of paint, besides our dinner-pails;
for it was my intention to hew the bark
from trees along the proposed line, and
paint the wood red. thus informing all
later corners that the land was occu-
pied.
We went to point directly north
east of our mill, or camp. where we
made corner" then proceeded west,
marking trees about every quarter of
mile, as we came to those that were
suitable for this purpose. At noon we
stopped to rest and ate our dinners.
When we had finished, told Holder
that would go into the valley below
us, where stream appeared, and get
some water. He went along with me,
down the steep declivity, where we
were often compelled to place oui
hands on the ground to keep from fall
ing.
At the bottom of the gorge we found
a beautiful stream of limpid water.
springing from under the wall of rock.
1t was quite a large stream and icy
cold. After we had quenched ouI
thirst, we stood awhile admiring the
wild beauty and grandeur of the spot
The valley. or gorge, began here, as
did the stream, and on either side were
almost perpendicular walls of rock, al.
most or quite a hundred feet high.
stretching for fully half ? mile in al.
most straight line, when change OF
direction shut off further view. From
the general direction of the valley,
however, we concluded that the stream
emptied near the camp.
We had turned to ascend the preci.
pice. when my foot struck something
in the leaves-something that was
white and round. Pushing the leave:
away with my foot, l then saw that il
was a skull-a human skull. Then ]
noticed other bones lying about. and
called 20 Holder to come and look al
them. At that moment l also caught
sight of the shreds of an old garment,
which quickly recognized as an old
cloak.
Iwould have sent Holder away had